Paphos opened their First Division campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 win against Carmiotissa at the Pano Poliymidia Community Stadium on Sunday. The visitors took control early and never looked back, moving to the top of the table after the opening round of matches. Carmiotissa, meanwhile, started their season with a defeat.
D. Quina gave the hosts a brief moment of optimism before the interval, striking in the 45th minute. But Paphos responded swiftly after the break. N. Moumi Ngamaleu equalised in the 49th minute, and Anderson Silva put them firmly in charge with a third goal in the 60th. By then, the match was effectively over.
Paphos managed their game intelligently, bringing on Pepe in place of Anderson Silva in the 77th minute. More changes followed, with Guga replacing N. Moumi Ngamaleu and N. Ioannou coming on for Carmiotissa in the 88th minute. The visitors also made a double substitution in stoppage time, bringing on N. Ouammou and M. Kokkinoftas.
The statistics tell a straightforward story. Paphos held 60 per cent possession and registered 104 attacks compared to 83 for Carmiotissa. The hosts had more shots on target, but Paphos were more clinical. Both sides earned four corners, and neither team received a card.
For Carmiotissa, this was a difficult start. They sit 13th with zero points from one game. Their last competitive fixture was a 1-0 win over Nea Salamina in April, but that form has not carried over to this season. They will need to regroup quickly.
Paphos, on the other hand, look dangerous. They sit top of the table with three points from one match. Their recent European encounters have shown they can raise the tempo when they need to, and they ground out this win without being stretched. The goal difference already stands at +3, and they played the second half with confidence.